1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metering medicine dosages and particularly to the need for supplying users with premeasured dosage packaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to child resistant premeasured packaging which will be convenient and efficient yet difficult for children to breach. Specifically, the present invention involves a child resistant, disposable, premeasured dosage spoon useful for liquid, powder, bead, slurry or other flowable medicine.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following patents relate to the state of the art in the field of disposable spoons for metered dosage medicine:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,459 to Nelson et al. describes a child-resistant package including a multilayered polymeric tray having a basin and a brim. The tray has a plastic structural layer and a bonding layer. A multilayered polymeric cover has a cross-oriented, tear-resistant layer, a bonding layer, and a moisture-barrier layer between the tear-resistant layer and the bonding layer of the cover. The bonding layer of the cover is sealed to the bonding layer of the brim of the tray to form a closed cavity between the tray and the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,305 to Steven J. Barger describes a unit dose spoon having a bowl portion, a recessed handle portion communicating with the bowl portion. An upwardly extending pedestal is mounted in the recessed handle portion and is provided with an upwardly extending cutting blade on the top surface thereof. A container is integrally hinged to the free end of the handle portion and contains a unit dose of fluid such as medicine, which is sealed in the container by a rupturable plastic cover. When the container is folded forwardly toward the handle portion and pushed downwardly toward the pedestal, the blade thereon punctures the plastic cover to allow fluid to flow from the container into the recessed handle portion and into the bowl portion. The unit dose spoon is formed of molded plastic and is disposable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,615 to Mackles et al. describes a medicine spoon having a spoon bowl with a handle, and a flat cover completely covering the bowl in a closed position in which the cover bears against the edge of the bowl. The cover has a handle attached to the bowl handle for pivotal movement between the closed and open positions, and the cover has an opening through which an amount of a foam product from a dispenser may be fed to the bowl in the closed position of the cover. The underside of the cover scrapes along the upper edge of the bowl for wiping the underside clean during movement of the cover to its open position. Stop shoulders in the form of continuous flanges are provided on the bowl and cover for both limiting the cover to its completely closed position and for preventing leakage of product through the cover when filling.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,474,443 to Robert B. Rhyne describes in a medicine spoon, the combination with a bowl portion and a handle therefor; of a cover for the bowl thereof and having an angularly disposed handle, the angular juncture of the cover and its handle being engaged with the handle of the spoon to form a fulcrum, and said handle of the cover being arranged in space relation to the spoon handle and adapted to be moved toward the spoon handle to cause said angular juncture to fulcrum and move the cover away from the bowl of the spoon.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
The present invention child resistant, disposable, premeasured dosage spoon, includes:
(a.) a bowl portion having a premeasured dosage volume bowl and having a front end for oral insertion with said bowl, and having a back end;
(b.) a handle portion having a front end and a back end, wherein said back end is hingedly connected to said back end of said bowl portion; and,
(c.) a child resistant mechanism having a male segment and a female segment adapted to interlock with one another. The child resistant mechanism is adapted to require at least a two step movement for release of interlock with one another. One of the male segment and the female segment may be located on the front end of the bowl portion and the other of the male segment and the female segment being located on the front end of the handle portion. For example, the male segment may be located on the handle portion and the female segment on the bowl portion, or vice versa. Optionally, but preferred is the present invention spoon which further includes a removable seal panel extending over and sealing the bowl, especially with a pull tab for removal of the seal panel from the spoon.
In some preferred embodiments, the child resistant mechanism male segment includes a living spring tongue with a ratchet protrusion, and the female segment includes a slot adapted to receive the tongue, wherein the ratchet protrusion locks onto an underside of the front on which the slot is located, requiring a push back and lift up two step movement for opening.
In other preferred embodiments, the child resistant male segment includes a living spring xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d shaped catch with a ratchet protrusion at its base and the female segment includes an underside ledge for receiving and interlocking the male segment, requiring a pull down, pull out and lift up movement for opening.